Great Ignatian Challenge

As we approach the holiday season, we are mindful that food security is a challenge for individuals and families. During this time, the demand increases for food pantries, shelters and community centers. How can we help? 

Each Thanksgiving season, Jesuit high schools along the east coast participate in the Great Ignatian Challenge! The G.I.C. is an annual holiday food drive competition intended to raise the students’ awareness of hunger and inspire them to take action by working to fill their local food banks, pantries, and community centers with tens of thousands of pounds of much-needed provisions. This friendly but spirited competition will run from October 16th through November 22nd. 

Ways to Donate

• ShopRite Gift Cards
  • Purchase ShopRite gift cards in-store or at ShopRite.com and send them to:
    Keith Cummings, ’10
    Saint Peter’s Prep
    144 Grand Street
    Jersey City NJ 07302-4431
  • If you are purchasing cards online, you can use this as the shipping address, and the cards will be mailed directly to Prep. If you are buying cards in-store, you can also deliver them in person to Mr. Cummings in the Campus Ministry office.
  • A Prep alumnus has offered to work with students to purchase sale items using the gift cards we collect, so this is a great opportunity to maximize the amount of food your donation will secure for our food drive partners!
    

• Online Shop | Visit our online shop via You Give Goods. 
  • All pricing includes shipping and handling directly to our participating organizations.
  • Your purchase through YouGiveGoods is tax-deductible. You will be sent a tax receipt from the YouGiveGoods Foundation via email for the donated goods.

• Donation Bins | Bins will be stationed in our main lobby for daily drop offs. We will accept all non-perishable items. 
  • If you wish to donate turkeys, please email Mr. Cummings to coordinate drop off at Prep CummingsK@spprep.org. 
  • Please assure that all donated food is not expired.
  • All donations should be properly bagged and labeled; Student/ Person Full Name, Class Year/ Department.

Our Food Drive Partners

All donations Prep collects during our food drive will be forwarded to the following organizations:

• The Campus Kitchen of SPU | Jersey City, NJ
  • Ask: 150 turkeys, plus additional items on our Wishlist via YouGiveGoods.
• St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church Food Pantry
  • Ask: Please help fill our pantry with numerous items from our Wishlist via YouGiveGoods.

About the Great Ignatian Challenge

Fordham Prep alum, Jim Rowen, has once again personally pledged funds to support the participating schools’ efforts. Inspired by the commitment to social justice and service to the community that lies at the heart of Jesuit education, Mr. Rowen pledges money each year to support financial aid for participating schools. 22 schools will compete in this tiered award competition to see which school will collect the most pounds of food per student.

We are in a great place to make this Thanksgiving holiday truly special for a large number of families in the Hudson County area. Let’s make this G.I.C. one to remember! Please contact Mr. Keith Cummings, ’10 [CummingsK@spprep.org] with all questions, concerns, requests, or comments!